NRL 2023: Zac Lomax opens up on axing, relationship with Anthony Griffin and swap after kicking matchwinning goal
After dominating headlines in recent weeks, Dragons centre Zac Lomax opens up about his relationship with Anthony Griffin, his own shock axing, swapping positions and goalkicking.
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Zac Lomax couldn’t help but smile.
Back in first grade, playing on his preferred right side of the field and kicking a matchwinning goal to give the Dragons a much-needed victory — it seemed like a world away from the frustration he felt when he was axed to NSW Cup by former coach Anthony Griffin just two weeks ago.
While Lomax may have been the biggest beneficiary of Griffin’s axing, he paid tribute to his ex-mentor who was sacked last Tuesday.
“As a man and person, I will send my thoughts out to him,” Lomax said.
“It’s a brutal business. My thoughts go out to him Hook (Griffin) and (wife) Helen – they are beautiful people. I get along really well with Hook and I’m thinking about him. Hook is a good dude. I wish him all the best.”
The sentiment may have been different when Lomax was dumped to NSW Cup for the first time in his career. He reacted angrily to the news in what was Griffin’s last major call in charge.
Lomax said the two weeks he spent out of the top team was “refreshing”.
“I was able to go back and see my family,” Lomax said. “It was nice. I’m a country boy and I am away from my family all the time. To be able to spend time with them was good. I enjoyed playing NSW Cup. It was good to play with a smile on my face.
“It is what it is. I am a big believer in everything will happen the way it’s supposed to. I’ve learnt from it and become a better man. That’s the way Hook made the decision. It’s in the past now.”
The major conjecture surrounding his relegation was a lack of detail. Lomax indicated he had been told by Griffin eventually what he needed to work on.
“When I went back it was about understanding my craft and competing,” Lomax said. “I felt that’s what I did. I went back and enjoyed my footy.”
One of Carr’s first major decisions was to not only recall Lomax but swap him back to the right edge. Griffin swapped Lomax with Moses Suli during the pre-season and Lomax struggled in his new role.
Lomax said it was Carr’s call to push him back to the right.
“It was awkward but as a footy player you adapt. You have to make do with what you’ve got. It was different. It was a little bit harder because we weren’t winning.
“It feels a lot more natural and I feel a lot more at home. I had a session there before we played. I’ll get more reps there next week.”
Lomax has also struggled with his goalkicking this year. He converted the matchwinner from in front of the posts and has gone back to the higher kicking tee had used in previous seasons after opting for a smaller one this year.
Lomax nailed four out of five as the Dragons snatched a two-point win against the Roosters.
“It was a kick you should get,” Lomax said of his match-winner.
“When the game is on the line they are the ones you want to hit.
“It was good to see a few go over. There’s been a fair few nudges from the side where it didn’t go over. It’s about staying composed.”
‘PRETTY EMOTIONAL’: DRAGONS FINISH WEEK FROM HELL IN STYLE
A try by winger Mat Feagai with four seconds left on the clock has seen St George Illawarra Dragons snap a six-game losing streak and triumph 24-22 over Sydney Roosters on Friday night at a raucous Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
More pain for the Roosters is likely after Victor Radley was put on report for an apparent head-butt and hooker Brandon Smith suffered a suspected broken wrist.
With time ticking down and the Roosters seemingly home and hosed, Ben Hunt went blind and bombed before the Dragons played hot potato with a ricochet.
With the crowd of 9007 riding their seats the Steeden found Tyrell Sloan who cross-kicked for Feagai who took the ball on the bounce and ran under the posts.
And the old girl on Jubilee Avenue shook to its concrete foundations.
Interim St George Illawarra coach Ryan Carr, in his first game in charge since the axing of Anthony Griffin on Tuesday, said he was happy for the players and “everyone at the club”.
“It’s been a big week. Everyone’s been through lot. It’s not just the staff or players, it’s everyone who contributes in the club. And we’ve got a really good club here. And a lot of really good people.
“I’m happy that everyone got what they deserved tonight, which was a win,” Carr said.
Hunt, who is tight with Griffin, admitted to getting emotional at the end of the match.
“I did get a bit, just at the end there. All the hard work we’ve put in. Apart from last week we’ve been in every game, put in a lot of effort, been fighting.
“It felt like we deserved that tonight. We finally got a bounce of the ball there at the end.
“Pretty emotional,” Hunt said.
Burly Dragons centre Mosese Suli surprised and delighted many in the crowd when he took a bomb on his chest and burned everyone for a 95-metre runaway try.Hunt then stepped and dummied his way through some porous Roosters defence before Zac Lomax, back in the starting side after a stint in NSW Cup, landed his second conversion.
Talatau Amone made a break in the 40th minute and with the fullback to beat passed early to Sloan who wasn’t ready and grassed it.
Tedesco and Keary had a double when he dummied by Amone and sliced through out wide, in the process fending off 20-year-old Sloan.
It seemed inevitable that Sloan would be thus seen off and it would appear a date with the tackle bags is in his future.
Meanwhile, the Roosters could be facing a nervous wait on Victor Radley, after the star forward was placed on report for an apparent headbutt on Dragons prop Blake Lawrie.
A scuffle broke out after an apparent head slam by Zac Lomax on Corey Allan, with Radley initiating contact with Lawrie by appearing to lead with the head.
Should Victor Radley have been marched for this 'headbutt'? 🤔 https://t.co/iCoCLlxr1Jpic.twitter.com/L5H7xYPaam
— Telegraph Sport (@telegraph_sport) May 19, 2023
Despite the protests of Dragons skipper Ben Hunt, Radley was only put on report for the incident, with the Roosters getting a penalty for the original Lomax incident.
Fox League commentator Andrew Voss was stunned that Radley was only put on report, while analysts Greg Alexander and Cooper Cronk were adamant Radley should have been sin-binned
.On the apparent Radley headbutt, Robinson said: “I thought it was a scuffle. That’s all I saw.” Asked if Radley had been put on a charge sheet, Robinson said “I have no idea”.
Hunt said he questioned referee Peter Gough but was told the bunker had decided the lock was good to remain on the field.
“It definitely looked like a head-butt to me,” Hunt said. “But the ref said they reviewed it in the bunker, so … that’s up to them up there.”
Maroons hopeful Lindsay Collins was also put on report for a dangerous tackle, after ‘working the arm over’ of Ben Murdoch-Masila.
Roosters hooker Brandon Smith was also forced from the field with a thumb injury, with Fox League sideline reporter Matt Russell reporting he had lost feeling in his thumb.
Roosters believe hooker Brandon Smith has a broken thumb. Coach Trent Robinson was unclear how long Smith would be sidelined.
HOOK AXING INSPIRES HUNT TO DELIVER MUCH-NEEDED DRAGONS WIN
—Michael Carayannis
The Dragons let Anthony Griffin walk out the door. They can’t do the same to star half and skipper Ben Hunt. Hunt put aside the distraction of the past week where his good friend and mentor Griffin was axed by St George Illawarra.
Just three days later he was guiding the Dragons to a much-needed victory to snap a six-game losing streak with a come-from-behind win against the Roosters.
Hunt has created headlines this week but none of his own doing. The bond between Griffin and Hunt has been spoken about publicly. Since Griffin’s sacking Hunt has kept a low profile preferring to digest the news privately and concentrating on the game at hand.
Those at the Dragons believe he will see out the next two years of his deal that he inked just last October. He did it full well knowing Griffin was massively under pressure to secure his job.
Hunt said it was an emotional week.
Hunt said “it seems like everyone else was thinking” about his future.
“It’s been a whirlwind of emotions,” Hunt said. “I am disappointed for Hook. I never want to be a player and who lets your teammates down.”
Some felt Hunt’s loyalty and self belief is what kept him at the club. The prospect of turning the club around and keeping Griffin employed off the back of Hunt’s shoulders.
He couldn’t save Griffin. But now the Dragons must do all they can to save Hunt.
Rivals clubs are already circling with Canterbury – who had a flirtation with Hunt last year- already ready to pounce.
Hunt did not let the distractions stop him from being the Dragons best player again. Just a match after his team’s meek performance for his 300th he led them to an unlikely victory against the now completely out of sorts Roosters.
Hunt scored an opening half try and celebrated with his trademark kick into the crowd as the Dragons rushed to a 12-0 half-time lead.
Hunt played out the game at halfback having spent time as a reluctant dummy half in the past two weeks with Jacob Liddle and Jayden Sullivan sharing the duties.
When the Dragons gave up the lead after they conceded 16 points in 12 minutes in the second half it was left to Hunt again to turn the game. He jumped on out of dummy half down a short side on the last play to send Jaydn Su’A crashing over to give the Dragons the lead.
They held onto the lead for just three minutes before the Roosters bounced back and the Dragons looked certain to lose another close game.
Hunt was pivotal in the final play. He handled the ball twice before a Tyrell Sloan cross-field kick gave Mat Feagai a try to bed a horror week for the club and a much needed win.
The victory also meant interim coach Ryan Carr became the second interim coach to win their first game in charge. The last? Dean Young when he took over from Paul McGregor at the Dragons in round 15, 2020.
Carr praised Hunt’s efforts.
“I don’t want to embarrass him,” Carr said. “The leadership he has shown this week in a tough week, he could have every excuse not to come out and do what he did.”
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